Overview

Are you passionate about trauma-related disorders and would like to develop new competencies in a unique multicultural environment? Have you dreamed of visiting Rwanda to learn about the country’s miraculous recovery after the 1994 genocide and ongoing efforts in reconciliation, nation building and trauma treatment? We invite international professionals and students interested in trauma treatment to travel to Rwanda, enjoy cultural and thematic introductions, and join Rwandan clinicians and students in a training workshop on Multicultural Trauma Treatment. The program has been approved by NBCC for NBCC Credit (38 CE contact hours). ITTC and GEI are solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. SP-2700.

Highlights

• Learn about trauma within a multicultural context.
• Experience a high-level, specialized training that will enrich your practice and expand your skill set.
• Gain invaluable intercultural competence relevant to your profession.
• Share your knowledge and gain new insight through a unique African perspective on mental health.
• Explore an exciting destination and immerse yourself in the culture of your hosts.

Program video

Training objectives

• Participants will be able to identify diagnostic criteria for trauma-related disorders from the Diagnostic Statistical Manual
• Participants will be able to identify types of traumatic exposure, including single-incident, developmental trauma, disaster/community-based trauma, genocide and vicarious trauma.
• Participants will be able to describe a stage-based approach to trauma resolution.
• Participants will be able to learn trauma treatment from a multicultural perspective.

Additionally, participants receive an introduction to various treatment modalities and discuss trauma-informed care in any context. On the last day, vicarious trauma will be a key topic, allowing for a very rich conversation given the proportion of clinicians in Rwanda who are also survivors.

Host institutions

The program is based on a collaborative effort between GEI, the University of Rwanda’s College of Medicine & Health Sciences and the Integrative Trauma Treatment Center. The Integrative Trauma Treatment Center (ITTC) provides trauma treatment to survivors of physical, emotional and political trauma from a prism of honor, reverence and optimism. It works from the assumption of inherent goodness, health and capacity in all people. ITTC practitioners have various specialties in other arenas of mental health in addition to post-traumatic stress. Trauma is their specialty, which increases their ability to address other concerns with sensitivity, compassion and skill. Medication management, acupuncture/Chinese medicine and massage are offered in conjunction with psychotherapy as an integrative approach to mental health.

Rwanda

Experience Rwanda…

• Feel safe and secure walking the streets of its modern, green capital
• A place where zero tolerance for corruption really means zero tolerance
• One of the most gender-progressive parliaments in the world
• Globally admired for its achievements in healthcare and education
• Just a stone’s throw away from world-class tourism activities like tracking endangered mountain gorillas

Welcome to Rwanda, a great development success story in today’s world.

What’s included?

The following in-country arrangements are included in the experience:

• MTT training and materials
• Accommodation in mid-range hotels
• In-country transportation for the delegation
• Meals during program activities with one nonalcoholic drink each
• Program-related activity and entrance fees
• Full-time delegation management and guiding
• 24/7 emergency support from our local program office

What isn’t?

Not included are the transportation to/from the destination (including international airfare and taxes), visas, travel and medical insurance, immunizations, some of the meals, alcoholic and additional nonalcoholic drinks, personal expenses and other extras.